Brassiere construction including bust forms



June 22, 1965 M- R. BARNES 3,190,292

BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING BUST FORMS Filed March 29. 1965INVENTOR.

M055 R. ,BQQNES apparent from the following description.

United States Patent 3,199,292 BRASSEERE {IGNSHRUCTEQN INCLUDING BUSTFGJRMS Mains R. Barnes, 4636 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, Calif. FiiedMar. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 268,962 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-479) The presentinvention relates to improvements in brassieres and particularly in theprovision of novel bust forms and means for associating said forms witha brassiere.

The constructions and devices of the present invention are capable ofbeing used by normally developed women, Women with undeveloped breastsand by those who have had a mastectomy, for the purpose of enhancing theglobulosity of the upper portion of a female breast, and enhancing thegeneral appearance thereof. Although bust forms or pads have been usedin brassieres heretofore, prior forms of bust pads have not beensatisfactory in a number of different particulars. One of the problemsencountered heretofore is that the usual pad does not fit properly inthat the upper edge of the pad is spaced from the body of the wearer,and the overlying brassiere has a tendency to crinkle, fold or bendcreating an unnatural effect which immediately signals the presence of abust pad therebeneath. Moreover, when viewed from the side of the upperportion of the breasts of most women present a sloping and concavecontour commonly referred to as the ski jump; the present inventionconverts this sagging concave contour into a rounded, fuller, moreglobular and more pleasing contour. Again the presence of prior types ofbust pads in a brassiere is made evident by the fact that such pads andbrassieres do not move, oscillate and bounce during normal walking orother physical activities of the wearer to the same extent and with thesame effect as is obtained by a normal unp-added breast. All theseproblems have been solved by the materials, constructions andarrangements described hereinafter.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to disclose andprovide a brassiere and breast forms for use in brassieres as well asmeans whereby a brassiere and the breast forms of the present inventionmay be combined so as to attain the solution to the problems statedhereinabove. A further object of the invention is to disclose andprovide an improved bust form construction employing one or more piecesof a leaded or weighted sheet material which is bendable and somewhatresilient, and is irremovably carried by the bust form.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and pr0- vide means forconnecting a bust form to the non-stretchable shoulder straps normallyassociated with a brassiere so as to emphasize the elastic, oscillatorymovement which characterizes a normal breast during walking and otherforms of physical exercise.

These and other objects of the invention will become In order tofacilitate understanding, reference will be had to the followingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a brassiere constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 2a and 2b are side elevations, diagrammatic in form, exemplifyingthe normal ski jump contour and the enhanced contour obtained by the useof bust forms and brassieres of the present invention.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged front elevation, top elevation andvertical sections of a bust form constructed in accordance with thepresent invention, the vertical section shown in FIG. 5 being along theplane V-V indicated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged vertical section taken through the upperedge portion of a brassiere embodying ice the bust forms hereindisclosed, illustrating a form of connecting means.

It is to be understood that the present invention is applicable to anynormal or usually manufactured type of brassiere which includes breastcups. Patents 2,953,133, 2,995,133 and 3,077,198 illustrate exemplaryfor-ms of brassieres which may be used and therefore details ofconstruction of the brassiere per se need not be given. However, asindicated in FIG. 1 each brassiere normally includes a pair of breastcups 1 and 1 generally connected by some form of sternum piece 2. Thesides of such breast cups are connected to rearwardly extending elementssuch as 3 capable of being adjustably connected and encircle the wearer.Shoulder straps of adjustable length but of inelastic material aregenerally provided as indicated at 4, one of such shoulder strapsextending from the upper edge of each cup, and may include the ties 5and an adjustable linkage or connector 6. The rear portion of each suchshoulder strap is connected to a body encircling portion 3. Any suitablefabric or lace may be employed for such brassieres.

FIG. 2a exemplifies the so-called ski jump profile of the breast of mostNordic, European and American women. A contour of greater fullness inthe upper portion of the breast is more desirable and such moredesirable contour, as created by the devices of the present invention,is indicated in FIG. 2b. This contour is attained, with many otherconcomitant advantages, by the use of the preformed bust formsillustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5 inclusive. Bust forms are normally suppliedin pairs, right and left, and since they are substantially mirrorimages, the invention will .be described with respect to a single bustform only.

Each bust form, such as that indicated at 10, has a generally convexouter surface and a generally concave inner surface, and is adapted tocover upper, lower and side portions of a breast including the nipplearea. Ordinarily the bust forms are somewhat wider to the side thantowards the middle portion of the body. The bust forms are preformed ormolded from any light weight cellular and resilient organic foamcomposition such as, for example, urethane foam, latex compositions,poly-esters, polyvinyls, copolymers or any other sponge-like resilientcellular and light weight material capable of attaining a smooth surfaceupon being formed and a natural flesh feel to the touch.

The inner and outer surfaces of these preformed bust forms meet at amarginal edge, the upper edge such as the edge 11 generally conformingto the contour of the upper edge of a breast receiving cup of abrassiere. In accord .ance with the present invention, the thickness ofthe breast form in the upper half is thicker than in the lower half asillustrated in FIG. 5; moreover, the increased thickness is preferablyaccentuated in an area radiating upwardly from the nipple towards theupper edge 11 through an arc of say about In this manner acompound-curved outer and upper surface is obtained which closelyresembles the contour of a fully developed breast of appreciableglobulosity.

Since the bust form described hereinabove is light weight (and would notclosely contact the skin of the wearer along the upper edge Ill) meansare provided for maintaining the bust form in substantial contact withthe body of the wearer. The preferred means for accomplishing thisobjective constitute pieces or precut plates of sheet material which isbendable and made of weighted resinous composition. Sheets from whichthese pieces may be prepared may be composed of plasticized vinyl orother resinous composition containing colloidal or very finely dividedweighing material such as lead particles, baritcs or other metallic ormineral substance in dispersed form, the weighing material beingsuspended pad during forming. As' indicated in the preferred form ofinvention illustrated in. FIGS. 3-5 the sheet or piece 15'is embeddedin. the upper half of the bust form with one edge of such'piece'in closeproximity to and substantially parallel to the upper edge 11 of suchform 10. The

The matrix itself may also be Instead of employing one sheet, a pin--body of the wearer; the entire natural breast and imparts a realisticand natural effect.

brassiere rests on the It will be evidentthat a similar construction isemployed for the other pocket of the brassiere. In the eventopposing'edge of the insert is preferably spaced from thenipple-covering area of the breast form. Desirably the insert 15 has anarea and weight sufficient to maintain the upper edge of the form incontact with the body of the wearerysince such piece 15 is'deformablebut of greater resistance tobending than the cellular mass of the aperson has beensubjected to a mastectomy, then the internal contours ofthe bust form may be changedso as to more readily and'accurately conformto the remaining tissues therein. Moreover, although the drawingsillustnatethe presence of the resilient' bendable weighted elenent 15 inthe'upper portion or'upper half of the bust form a similar effect(although not quite as pronounced) is obtained by'placing a weightedmember similar to. 15 within the' lower portion ofthe breast form, oneedge of such member being then adjacent the lower edge 12 of the bustform. Ineach instancethe weighted members, irrern'ovably embedded in thecellular material of the body of the form itself cause the edges of theform to contact the body of'the wearer even though the wearer isexerbust form, such-piece 15 imparts a firmer and more positive andpermanent curvature to the upper part of the breast form even though thewearer has a highly undeveloped breast.

In practice it is highly desirableto envelop the, preformed bust formdescribed hereinabove in a softpliable cising or walking. I

All modifications and changes coming withinthe scope of theappended-claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. In a brassiere having brea-stcups, each provided with'an upper edgeand a nipple covering portion, and

envelope generally made of nylon, rayon, silk or some other light weightfabric. Such envelope is indicated in FIG. 6 at 16. In order tofacilitate attachment of a bust forms (whereby the bust forms may bereadily removed for cleaning) or the enclosing envelope 15 of eachbreast form may be provided with'a snap, button, loop or safety pin soas to facilitate the positioning of a .bust form within the cup ,of abras'si'ere.

In order to impart a desired bounce and the bust forms and brassiere,the preferred construction contemplates the utilization of a strip, ofelastic tape or the like, one end thereof being connected to the upperedge portion of the bust form (or to the envelope in which-it iscontained) and the other being connected to the normally non-stretchablebut adjustable shoulder strap 4. In the drawings the'relatively shortpiece of elastic ribbon tape or the like is indicated at 17 land it willbe seen that one end of this strip is permanently connected in anysuitable manner (as by stitching) at 18 to the envelope 16 in which thebust form is contained. The end of the elastic element (tape or spring)may be embedded in or connected to the bustform itself. 'The other endof the elastic tape 17 is connected in any suitable manner as at 19 tothe shoulder strap 4 Preferably the point of connection 19 is above theadjustable linkage 6 thereby permitting a ready adjustment in therelative lengths of the elastic tape 17 and the overlying portion of theshoulder strap. It is desirable to make the shoulder strap whichoverlies the elastic tape slightly longer than the length of the elastictape 17 when the latter is in its contracted or relaxed position.

As a result when the wearer is walking-and the entire movement of thebreast is in a downward direction, the elastic tape 17 is elongated andon the very next step of the wearer such tape has the property ofraising the bust form and breast so as to accentuate, facilitate andexpedite the upward movement. Similar stretching and contracting of theelastic tape takes place when body movement of I brassiere are factorswhich infiuence the amount of bounce imparted to the bust form andbrassiere. However, attention is called to the fact that at no time isthere; a gap or space formed between the bust form and the,

retaining means for removable bust forms carried by said breast cups,the provision of:

a pair of preformed bust forms, each having a generally convex outersurface anda generally concave inner surface, 1

the upper edge portion of each bust form being thinner than otherportions and curvedto approximate the contour of the upper edge of abreast cupin which said form is to be received, I each such bust for-mbeing composed of a light weight, cellular and resilient organic foamcomposition, the upper portion of each bust form containing embeddedtherein a sheet of bendable, weighted resinous composition, an edge ofsaid sheet paralleling :acentral portion of the upper edge of said bustform, .the sheet having'an area and Weight sufficient to maintain theupper edge of said form in contact with thebodyof the wearer and toimpart a gener-.

- 2. A bust form forum in abrassiere and adapted'to selectively enhancethe glob-ulosity of the upper portion of a female breast comprising:

a preformed bust form composed essentially of a cellular, resilient,foamed organic plastic, said bust form having a generally convex outersurface, a generally concave inner surface'and; a thin, curved, upperedge, the thickness of said bust form in the upper portion thereof beinggreater than in the lower portion thereof, and a sheet of bendableweighted resinous composition precurved to, the contours of the outersurface of said form and irremovably embeddedin'the upper portion ofsaid bust form with an edge of said precurved sheet in virtualparallelism to and inproxi-mity to the curved upper edge of the form,the lower edge of said precurved sheet-being spaced from the nipple areaof the form, the embedded sheet underlying an. area embraced byan arc ofabout with the nipple area as the center.

.3. A bust form for use in a brassiere' and adapted to selectivelyenhance the globulosity 'of the upper portion of a female breastcomprising: V

a preformed bust form composed essentially of a cellular, resilient,foamed organic plastic, said bust formhaving a generally convex outersurface, a

generally concave inner surface and a thin, curved,

, upper edge, the thickness of said bust form in the upper portionthereof being greater than in the lower portion thereof, and a sheet ofbendable weighted resinous composition p'recurved tothe'contour of theouter surface of said form and irre-movably embedded in the upperportion of said bust form, said bust form including an elastic elongatedelement having one end connected to the upper edge of said form.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,180,390 1'1/39Blair 128-460 Gluckin 128-479 Wilhelm 336 Creamer 336 Braeht 128-533Garfinkel 3-36 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. DELB-E-RT B. LOWE,Examiner.

1. IN A BRASSIERE HAVING BREAST CUPS, EACH PROVIDED WITH AN UPPER EDEAND A NIPPLE COVERING PORTION, AND RETAINING MEANS FOR REMOVABLY BUSTFORMS CARRIED BY SAID BREAST CUPS, THE PROVISION OF: A PAIR OF PREFORMEDBUST FORMS, EACH HAVING A GENERALLY CONVEX OUTER SURFACE AND A GENERALLYCONCAVE INNER SURFACE THE UPPER EDGE PORTION OF EACH BUST FORM BEINGTHINNER THAN OTHER PORTIONS AND CURVED TO APPROXIMATELY THE CONTOUR OFTHE UPPER EDGE OF A BREAST CUP IN WHICH AND FORM IS TO BE RECEIVED, EACHSUCH BUST FROM BEING COMPOSED OF A LIGHT WEIGHT, CELLULAR AND RESILIENTORGANIC FOAM COMPOSITION, THE UPPER PORTION OF EACH BUST FROM CONTAININGEMBEDDED THEREIN A SHEET OF BENDABLE, WEIGHTED RESINOUS COMPOSITION, ANEDGEOF SAID SHEET PARALLELING A CENTRAL PORTION OF THE UPPER EDGE OFSAID BUST FORM, THE SHEET HAVING AN AREA AND WEIGHT SUFFICIENT TOMAINTAIN THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID FORM IN CONTACT WITH THE BODY OF THEWEARER AND TO IMPACT A GENERALLY CONVEX AND FULLER APPEARANCE TO THEOUTER SURFACE OF THE CUP ABOVE THE NIPPLE AREA.